In-line measuring device with measuring tube

ABSTRACT

The measuring tube of the in-line measuring device is lined internally with a liner. The liner is made of a polyurethane produced using a catalyst that contains metal-organic compounds. The metals that are brought into the liner and remain there are chemically, especially atomically, bonded to carbon chains formed in the liner. The in-line measuring device is thus especially suited for measuring drinking water.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application discloses subject matter which is related to thesubject matter disclosed in co-pending application numbers: U.S. patentapplication Ser. Nos. 11/806,713 and 11/806,712.

This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/312,932,which was filed on Dec. 21, 2005, which is a nonprovisional applicationbased on U.S. Provisional application 60/666,519 filed on Mar. 30, 2005and U.S. Provisional application 60/639,402 filed on Dec. 28, 2004.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to an in-line measuring device, especially a flowmeasuring device for measuring a fluid flowing in a pipeline. Further,the invention relates to a method for manufacturing the aforementionedin-line measuring device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The in-line measuring device includes a measurement pickup, especially amagneto-inductive measurement pickup, having a measuring tube forconveying the fluid to be measured, lined internally with a liner andinserted into the course of the pipeline, and wherein the liner is madeof a polyurethane produced using a catalyst containing metal-organiccompounds.

It is known to use in-line measuring devices containing amagneto-inductive measurement pickup to measure the flow velocity and/orvolume flow rate of an electrically conductive fluid flowing in a streamdirection through a measuring tube of the measurement pickup. For this,the magnetically inductive pickup uses mostly diametrically opposedfield coils of a magnetic circuit arrangement electrically connected toan exciter electronics of the in-line measuring device, to produce amagnetic field, which passes through the fluid within a given measuringvolume at least sectionally perpendicularly to the direction of flow andthat largely closes on itself outside of the fluid. The measuring tubeis made, therefore, usually of non-ferromagnetic material, so that themagnetic field is not unfavorably affected during measurement. Due tothe movement of the free charge carriers of the fluid in the magneticfield, an electric field is produced in the measuring volume, on thebasis of the magneto-hydrodynamic principle. The electric field runsperpendicularly to the magnetic field and perpendicularly to thedirection of flow of the liquid.

An electric voltage induced in the fluid is, therefore, measurable bymeans of at least two measurement electrodes arranged spaced from eachother in the direction of the electric field, and by means of anevaluation electronics of the in-line measuring device connected tothese electrodes. The induced voltage is, in turn, a measure for thevolume flow rate. Fluid-contacting, galvanic, or fluid-not-contacting,capacitive, measurement electrodes can, for instance, serve to sense theinduced voltage. For conveying and coupling the magnetic field into themeasurement volume, the magnetic circuit arrangement generally includescoil cores surrounded by the field coils. The coil cores are separatedfrom each other especially diametrically along a periphery of themeasuring tube, and are arranged with, in each case, a free end facefront surface essentially facing the other, especially at positionswhere they are, in effect, mirror images of one another. In operation,the magnetic field created by the field coils connected to theexciter-electronics is so coupled via the coil cores into themeasurement tube, that it passes through the fluid flowing between thetwo end faces at least sectionally perpendicularly to the streamdirection.

In-line measuring devices that measure flow velocities and/or volumeflow rates of flowing fluids acoustically by means of ultrasonics areoften used as an alternative to in-line measuring devices withmagneto-inductive measurement pickups.

Due to the high mechanical stability demanded for such measuring tubes,these—both for magneto-inductive, as well as for acoustically measuring,measurement pickups—comprise mostly an outer, especially metallic,support tube of predetermined strength and diameter, coated internallywith an electrically non-conductive, insulating material ofpredetermined thickness, the so-called liner.

For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,595,069, U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,315, U.S. Pat.No. 5,280,727, U.S. Pat. No. 4,679,442, U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,340, U.S.Pat. No. 3,213,685 or JP-Y 53-51 181 each describes magneto-inductivemeasurement pickups, which include a measuring tube insertablefluid-tightly into a pipeline. The measuring tube, which has a first,inlet end and a second, outlet end, is comprised of a non-ferromagneticsupport tube, serving as an outer casing of the measuring tube, and atubular liner accommodated in a lumen of the support tube. The liner,which is made of an insulating material, serves to convey a flowingliquid insulated from the support tube.

The liner, which usually is made of a thermoplastic, thermosetting orelastomeric, synthetic material, serves to chemically isolate thesupport tube from the fluid. In the case of magneto-inductivemeasurement pickups, whose support tube has a high electricalconductivity, for example through the use of metallic support tubes, theliner serves also as electrical isolation, or insulation, between thesupport tube and the fluid, that prevents a short circuiting of theelectrical field through the support tube. By suitable design of thesupport tube, it is thus possible to match the strength of the measuringtube to the mechanical loads in particular cases of application, whilean adapting of the measuring tube to the chemical and/or biologicalrequirements of particular applications can be realized by means of theliner.

Because of its good workability on the one hand, and its good chemicaland mechanical properties on the other hand, polyurethane, inparticular, has, alongside hard rubber or fluorine-containing syntheticmaterials such as PTFE, PFA, also become established as material forliners of in-line measuring devices, especially those withmagneto-inductive measurement pickups. Furthermore, liners ofpolyurethane have mostly good biological properties, especially also inbacteriological regard, and are to that extent also suitable forapplication to aqueous fluids.

The polyurethanes used for the production of the described liners aremostly elastomeric plastics, that are made on the basis of liquid,multicomponent systems formed, directly before the processing, ofreactive starting components. Following mixing, such multicomponentsystem is applied onto the adhesive-agent-pretreated, inner wall of thesupport tube and left there to cure to form the liner within apredeterminable reaction time. It is well known that polyurethanes aremade by the polyaddition method from di- and poly-isocyanates and di- orpolyvalent alcohols. The starting components can, in such case, be, forexample, prepolymers, composed of aliphatic and/or aromaticether-groups, as well as glycol-, and isocyanate-, groups. Suchprepolymers then react with the supplied, di- or polyvalent alcohol.

Often used to manufacture liners of polyurethane is a so-called ribbonflow method, in which the previously prepared, liquid, multicomponentsystem is evenly distributed on the suitably moving, inner wall of thesupport tube by an appropriate pour-, or spray-, head. The reaction timerequired for the subsequent curing of the multicomponent system can beset, by the dosage of the starting components, also to a large extent bya suitable controlling of the processing temperature. However, shortreaction times of less than a minute, which are necessary forcost-effective production of the liner, at a processing temperature ofabout room temperature, are obtained usually only through addition of asuitable catalyst, usually heavy metal and/or amine-containing, to themulticomponent system. Here, especially tertiary amines and/or mercuryare used as catalysts. Considering that the catalyst itself remainsessentially unchanged in the finished polyurethane, the latter has tothis extent inevitably also toxic, or at least physiologically notcompletely harmless, characteristics. Numerous investigations have alsoshown, that especially the catalyst can, to a significant degree, bedissolved out of the liner at least in the presence of water. To thatextent, the polyurethanes used at present in in-line measuring devicesare only suitable conditionally for applications with high hygienicrequirements, e.g. for measurements in the field of drinking water,since the high demands for fluid-touching components in the drinkingwater field with regard to chemical stability as well as physiologicalcompatibility, cannot, without more, be fulfilled. In the drinking waterfield, special attention is paid among other things to the adherence tothe maximally tolerable migration rate (M_(max,TOC)) with regard tototal organic carbon (TOC) content and/or the specific migration limit(SML) values defined for toxicologically critical substances. Equallystrict are the requirements regarding the effect of the liner on theaesthetic condition of drinking water, especially regarding taste,color, turbidity, and/or smell neutrality of the liner in the presenceof water, as well as regarding the maximally tolerable chlorineconsumption rates (M_(max,Cl)).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide an in-line measuring device,especially one with a magneto-inductive measurement pickup, having aliner internally lining its measuring tube, which liner has goodphysiologic, organoleptic and bacteriologic characteristics. Inaddition, the in-line measuring device, in using polyurethane asmaterial for the liner, should also be able to meet the highchemical-biological and hygienic requirements set for drinking waterapplications.

To meet the object, the invention provides an in-line measuring device,especially a flow measuring device, for measuring a fluid flowing in apipeline, which in-line measuring device includes a measurement pickup,especially a magneto-inductive or acoustic measurement pickup, having ameasuring tube, covered internally with a liner, and inserted into thecourse of the pipeline, for conveying the fluid to be measured. Theliner of the in-line measuring device of the invention is made of apolyurethane produced using a catalyst containing metal-organiccompounds, with the components of the polyurethane being so chosen, thatthe metals brought into the liner and remaining therein, are physicallyand/or chemically, especially atomically, bonded to carbon-chains formedin the liner. Furthermore, the invention includes the use of such anin-line measuring device for measuring a flow rate and/or a flowvelocity of water, especially drinking water, flowing in a pipeline.

Beyond this, the invention resides in a method for manufacturing ameasuring tube for an in-line measuring device. The method of theinvention includes a step for forming a liquid, multicomponent systemincluding a prepolymer, an alcohol, especially a bivalent alcohol, and acatalyst, with the catalyst having metal-organic compounds, especiallyformed of a physiologically harmless metal, such as e.g. organotincompounds or the like. Beyond that, the method includes, according tothe invention, the steps of applying the liquid, multicomponent systemonto an inner wall of an, especially metal, support tube that is acomponent of the measuring tube, as well as the curing of themulticomponent system on the inner wall of the support tube to form aliner internally lining the finished measuring tube.

According to a first embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the polyurethane is manufactured on the basis of amulticomponent system formed of a prepolymer, an alcohol, especially adivalent alcohol, and the catalyst.

According to a second embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the prepolymer used contains ether groups, especiallyaliphatic ether groups.

According to a third embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the prepolymer used contains aromatic compounds.

According to a fourth embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the catalyst for the manufacture of the polyurethane does notcontain any amines, so that the liner itself also is free of amines.

According to a fifth embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the catalyst for the manufacture of the polyurethane does notcontain any heavy metals, so that the liner itself also is free of heavymetals.

According to a sixth embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the catalyst for the manufacture of the polyurethane containstin and the liner has atomically bound tin.

According to a seventh embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the liner has a thickness of less than 5 mm, especially ofless than 3 mm.

According to an eighth embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the measuring tube has a nominal diameter less than or equalto 2000 mm.

According to a ninth embodiment of the in-line measuring device of theinvention, the measuring tube has a nominal diameter greater than orequal to 100 mm.

According to a further development of the in-line measuring device ofthe invention, the measurement pickup includes a magnetic circuitarranged on the measuring tube for producing and guiding a magneticfield, that induces an electrical field in the flowing fluid, andmeasuring electrodes to sense an electric voltage induced in the flowingfluid.

According to a first embodiment of the method of the invention, the usedcatalyst contains organotin compounds, for example di(n-octyl)tincompounds.

According to a second embodiment of the method of the invention, thecatalyst is a di(n-octyl)tin dilaurate and/or a di(n-octyl)tindimalinate.

According to a third embodiment of the method of the invention, theprepolymer contains ether groups, especially aliphatic and/or aromaticether groups.

According to a fourth embodiment of the method of the invention, theprepolymer contains aromatic or aliphatic isocyanate groups.

According to a fifth embodiment of the method of the invention, theprepolymer contains at least two reactive NCO groups.

According to a sixth embodiment of the method of the invention, thealcohol contains at least two functional OH groups.

According to a seventh embodiment of the method of the invention, thealcohol is a diol, especially a butanediol.

According to an eighth embodiment of the method of the invention, suchis implemented with a processing temperature of less than 100° C.,especially around 25° C.

A basic principle of the invention is to use for the production of theliner a polyurethane that is produced with the help of an metal-organic,yet amine-free and/or heavy-metal-free catalyst. In addition, theinvention concerns using for the liner a polyurethane, wherein metalsbrought in by the catalyst used in the production thereof are physicallyand/or chemically, especially atomically, bound to carbon chains, forexample through cross-linking, and are thus more likely firmly andpermanently embedded in the liner. Thus it can be assured that, in theuse of the in-line measuring device, only very small amounts, if any, ofmetals or metal-compounds are released in physiologically harmless ratesfrom the liner into the fluid to be measured. Furthermore an “inherentlysafe” polyurethane can be formed by the use of physiologically harmless,non-heavy metals, for example tin, so that even with any possibledissolution of the metals or metal-compounds brought-in with thecatalyst by the fluid to be measured, it can be assured that nohygienically unacceptable contamination of the fluid will resulttherefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and advantageous embodiments are described in furtherdetail in the following on the basis of the figures of the drawing.Equal components are provided with equal reference characters. If it isrequired for purposes of clarity, however, reference characters areomitted in subsequent figures.

FIG. 1 shows a measuring tube for an, especially magneto-inductive,in-line measuring device, perspectively in side view, and

FIG. 2 shows the measuring tube of FIG. 1 in longitudinal section.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIGS. 1 and 2 show, in different views, a measuring tube for ameasurement pickup of an in-line measuring device, which serves formeasuring, for example, the flow velocity and/or volume flow rate of afluid flowing in a pipeline (not shown). The in-line measuring devicecan be, for example, a magneto-inductively measuring, flow measuringdevice, or a flow measuring device measuring acoustically on the basisof ultrasound. Especially, the in-line measuring device is intended tobe used in drinking water supply systems.

The measuring tube 1 has an, especially metal, support tube 2 ofpredeterminable lumen and a tubular liner 3 having a predeterminablediameter and made of an insulating material. The support tube 2 iscomposed of a non-ferromagnetic material, for example stainless steel oranother rust-free metal, and surrounds the liner 3 coaxially, so thatthe liner completely lines the support tube 2 and in this respectessentially completely isolates the support tube 2 from through-flowingfluid during operation.

The liner 3 of the in-line measuring device according to the inventionis a polyurethane applied and distributed area-wide and as uniformly aspossible on the inner wall of the support tube, in, for example, acentrifugal method or in a so-called ribbon-flow method. For example, apolyurethane that has aliphatic and/or aromatic ether-groups can be usedas material for liner 3.

In an embodiment of the invention, the measuring tube is intended forthe use in an in-line measuring device having a magneto-inductivemeasurement pickup. Accordingly, the measurement pickup encompassesfurthermore a magnetic circuit arranged at the measuring tube to createand convey a magnetic field inducing an electrical voltage in theflowing—here electrically conductive—fluid, as well as measurementelectrodes for measuring voltages induced in the flowing fluid.

The magnetic circuit arrangement usually has two field coils that, inmeasurement operation, are connected with an—not shown here—exciterelectronics of the in-line measuring device that creates variableelectrical currents of predeterminable current strength, such that thecoils are, at least at times, flowed-through by a corresponding excitercurrent. The magnetic field created thereby passes through the fluidflowing in the measuring tube 1 at least sectionally perpendicularly toits stream direction of flow. To read the corresponding, induced,electrical voltage in the flowing fluid, the measurement pickup has asensor assembly arrangement attached to the measuring tube 1. The sensorarrangement includes first and second measurement electrodes 31, 32.These lie diametrically opposite one another, with a diameter of themeasuring tube 1 imaginarily connecting the measuring electrodesrunning, or extending, perpendicularly to a diameter of the measuringtube 1 imaginarily connecting the field coils.

Of course, the measurement electrodes 31, 32 can, if required,especially in the case of more than two measurement electrodes, bearranged separately and with clearance from each other, so that they arenot diametrically opposed. This can be the case, for example, ifadditional measurement electrodes are provided for reference potentialsor, in the case of a horizontal installed position of the measuring tube1, measurement electrodes are provided for monitoring a minimum level ofthe fluid in measurement tube 1. For fluid-tight insertion into thepipeline, the measurement tube 1 has, further, a first flange 4 on afirst measurement tube end and a second flange 5 on a second measurementtube end. Support tube 2 and flanges 4, 5 all have circularcross-sections.

In the production of the measuring tube 1, support tube 2 is firstprovided with the desired length, and the metal flanges 4, 5 areprepared to fit with the support tube 2. Then, flange 4 is pushed ontoone end of the support tube 2 and flange 5 onto the other end. Thereupona rear side of each of the metal flanges 4, 5 is connected firmly andtightly with the exterior of the support tube 2. This can be done whenusing a metal support tube and metal flanges, for example, by soldering,brazing or welding, which leads to corresponding solder, braze, or weldseams 6. The space between the flanges 4, 5 and the support tube 2 can,as is usual especially in the case of magneto-inductive measurementpickups, be closed by means of a surrounding piece of sheet metal. Thespace, in the case that the measuring tube will be used for amagneto-inductive measurement pickup, can serve for example toaccommodate the field coils producing the mentioned magnetic field andfurther components of the abovementioned magnetic circuit arrangement.If the sheet metal is to serve, in such case, as a component of themagnetic circuit, it is preferably built of ferromagnetic material.

As already indicated, the in-line measuring device serves especiallyalso for measuring such fluids as are subjected to heightenedrequirements regarding chemical-biological and also bacteriologicalpurity, i.e. drinking water for example. Therefore, use of a heavymetal- and/or amine-containing catalyst is avoided for the production ofthe polyurethane used for the liner, although these kinds of catalystsactually would be advantageous for the production of polyurethanebecause of their good reactivity. Rather, for the in-line measuringdevice, according to the invention, for the production of its liner, apolyurethane is used that is formed with the help of a catalyst (C)comprising metal-organic compounds. Furthermore, the polyurethane ischosen in such a way so that the metals (Me) brought with the catalyst(C) into the liner and remaining there are chemically, especiallyatomically, and/or physically, especially through cross-linking, bondedto the carbon-chains formed in the liner. A benefit of this catalyst isthat these metal-organic compounds are built into the liner material insuch a way that even under action of water during use of the in-linemeasuring device, at the most, if at all, physiologically harmlessamounts and rates of the catalyst are dissolved from the liner.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the catalyst used for theproduction of the polyurethane contains organotin compounds, especiallydi(n-octyl)tin compounds, whereby it can be ensured that the tin (Sn)brought into and remaining in the finished liner by the catalyst ischemically and/or physically bound in the liner and to that extentdurably embedded. According to an embodiment of the invention, thefollowing tin-organic compound can be used as catalyst (C) to producethe polyurethane for the liner 3:C₄₀H₈₀O₄Sn  (1)

For example, di(n-octyl)tin dilaurate (DOTL) has proved to be anespecially advantageous catalyst for the production of the liner. Thestructure of DOTL can be displayed schematically as follows:

In addition, di(octyl)tin dimalinate or similar organo-metalliccompounds can be used as catalysts (C) for the production of the liner

According to an embodiment of the invention, the polyurethane is anelastomer produced on the basis of a multicomponent system (A+B+C)formed by means of a prepolymer (A), an alcohol, especially amultivalent alcohol (B), as well as with use of the catalyst (C). Forexample, the polyurethane can be an elastomer that at least partiallyhas essentially the following structure:

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the alcohol (B) usedfor the production of the liner 3 is one with at least two functionalOH-groups—thus, for example, a diol. Especially good results can beachieved herein, with use of a butanediol.

Furthermore, prepolymers (A) with aromatic or aliphaticisocyanate-groups, especially with two or more reactive NCO-groups, haveproven to be especially favorable for production of the liner 3.According to another favorable embodiment of the invention, theprepolymer is herein at least partially formed in accordance with thefollowing structural formula:

To produce one of such a prepolymer, in accordance with a furtherdevelopment of the invention, a polypropylene oxide reacted with anaromatic diisocyanate, especially aromatic diisocyanate added in excess,is used.

In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, apolypropylene glycol (PPG) is used as the polypropylene oxide, whosesomewhat simplified structure can be described as follows:

Alternatively or in addition to the polypropylene oxide, apolytetramethylene glycol (PTMEG) with the following structure can, forexample, also serve to produce the prepolymer:

Beyond that—alternatively or in addition—otheraliphatically-constructed, glycol compounds with polymeric ether-groupsand terminal OH-groups can also be used to produce the prepolymer.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the aromaticdiisocyanate used for the production of the prepolymer is adiphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), especially such with at least one ofthe following structures:

To produce the liner, according to a further development of theinvention, first, the multicomponent system (A+B+C) is formed by meansof the liquid prepolymer (A), the alcohol (B), together with addition ofthe catalyst (C). The likewise essentially still-liquid, multicomponentsystem (A+B+C) is then applied onto an inner wall of the support tube 2,for example using the so-called ribbon-flow method, using a moveablepour- or spray-head in the inside of the lumen of the support tube 2. Bysimultaneous rotation of the support tube 2 around its longitudinal axisand movement of the pour- or spray-head substantially parallel to thelongitudinal axis, the liquid multicomponent system (A+B+C) can, in avery simple and well reproducible manner, be uniformly distributed overthe entire inner wall. Through the action of the catalyst, thestill-liquid multicomponent system (A+B+C) applied on the support tube2—here by the ribbon-flow-method—is allowed to cure, whereby, finally,the liner 3 is directly formed on the inner wall of the support tube 2.Preferably, concentrations and amounts of the added catalyst (C) aredetermined such that the multicomponent system (A+B+C) applied on thesupport tube 2 can harden within a comparatively short reaction time ofless than a minute, especially under 30 seconds, at a processingtemperature of less than 100° C., for example at about 25° C.

Experimental investigations have shown in this case that, especiallywith use of the above-described prepolymer systems (PPG+MDI and/orPTMEG+MDI), such short reaction times can already be achieved byaddition of the catalyst (C) with a mass fraction of less than 2% of thetotal mass of the multicomponent system (A+B+C). Continuedinvestigations have shown furthermore that especially good results inthe production of the liner 3 can be obtained if the alcohol (B) isadded to the prepolymer (A) in a mixing ratio B:A of approximately15:100 or less, especially a mixing ratio B:A of less than 10:100.

Due to the use of polyurethane as material for the liner 3, themeasuring tube 1 can be easily manufactured with nominal diameters inthe range of 100 mm and 2000 mm. Similarly, it can thus be assured,especially also with application of the previously-described ribbon-flowtechnique for the production of the liner 3, that the liner 3 has an asuniform as possible thickness of less than 5 mm, especially less than 3mm.

A further advantage of the in-line measuring device of the invention isthat it can, due to the use of the described polyurethane for the liner3, fulfill even the very high (especially also in comparison to otherfood applications) hygienic requirements placed for applications in thedrinking water field. Investigations have, for example, shown that themigration rate (M_(max,TOC)) with regard to total organic carbon (TOC)content can lie below 0.25 milligrams per liter and day, while it isquite possible to achieve values of less than 0.2 milligrams per literand day in the case of chlorine consumption rate (M_(max,Cl)). Thus, thein-line measuring device of the invention can, for example, also meetthe requirements of the pertinent “Leitlinie zur hygienischenBeurteilung von Epoxidharzbeschichtungen im Kontakt mit Trinkwasser”(“Guideline for hygienic evaluation of epoxy resin coatings in contactwith drinking water”) for equipment in the distribution network,especially also in main lines, and/or the requirements of the pertinentNSF/ANSI Standard 61 for drinking water system components.

1. An in-line measuring device for measuring a fluid flowing in apipeline, said in-line measuring device comprising: a measurementpickup, including a measuring tube lined internally with a liner andinsertable into the course of the pipeline for conveying the fluid to bemeasured, wherein: said liner comprises a polyurethane produced with acatalyst containing metal-organic compounds; and metal brought into saidliner by means of the catalyst and remaining there, is chemically, boundto carbon-chains formed in the liner.
 2. The in-line measuring device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein: the polyurethane is formed on the basis ofa multicomponent system formed of a prepolymer, an alcohol.
 3. Thein-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: thepolyurethane contains ether-groups.
 4. The in-line measuring device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein: the polyurethane contains aromaticcompounds.
 5. The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1,wherein: the polyurethane used for said liner is essentially free ofheavy metals.
 6. The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1,wherein: the catalyst used for the production of the polyurethanecontains tin, and said liner contains organically.
 7. The in-linemeasuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the polyurethane usedfor said liner is substantially free of amines.
 8. The in-line measuringdevice as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said liner has a thickness ofless than 5 mm.
 9. The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1,wherein: said measuring tube has a nominal diameter less than or equalto 2000 mm.
 10. The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1,wherein: said measuring tube has a nominal diameter greater than orequal to 100 mm.
 11. The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1,wherein: said measurement pickup comprises: a magnetic circuit placed atsaid measuring tube to create and convey a magnetic field that inducesan electric field in the flowing fluid; and measurement electrodes tosense electric voltages induced in the flowing fluid.
 12. The use of anin-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1, for measuring a flowrate and/or a flow velocity of water, flowing in a pipeline.
 13. Thein-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: saidmeasurement pickup is selected from a group consisting of amagneto-inductive measurement pickup or acoustic measurement pickup. 14.The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: metalbrought into said liner by means of the catalyst and remaining there, isatomically bound to carbon-chains formed in the liner.
 15. The in-linemeasuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: metal brought into saidliner by means of the catalyst and remaining there, is physically boundto carbon-chains formed in the liner.
 16. The in-line measuring deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein: the polyurethane contains aliphaticether-groups.
 17. The in-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1,wherein: the catalyst used for the production of the polyurethanecontains tin, and said liner contains aliphatically bound tin.
 18. Thein-line measuring device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said linershows a thickness of less than 3 mm.
 19. The in-line measuring device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein: the polyurethane is formed on the basis ofa multicomponent system formed of a prepolymer, a divalent alcohol, andthe catalyst.
 20. The use of an in-line measuring device as claimed inclaim 1, for measuring a flow rate and/or a flow velocity of drinkingwater flowing in a pipeline.